Report number 758-C, Barry Livingstone reporting.

So here’s a question that’s been bugging me. We can have computer interact with the conscious human mind, upload, download, delete and even edit people’s thoughts. So how come, with all that technology, I’m still having to fill out hard copies of all these reports! We’re crossing the borders of the human mind, and I'm here putting pen to paper! Can’t they just take the information out of my mind? Or at least let my hire a secretary to do it for me?

Anyway, the stage three subject for project rewire had a run in with a subject from project enlightenment recently. Alarms and warnings went off everywhere, it was hilarious until I realised I was going to get some of the blame. Apparently there was some miscommunication and they ended up in the same city, something that wasn’t supposed to happen, since the exposure both subjects get to others is supposed to be extremely limited and controlled.

I blame Jeff form accounting.

Anyway, it doesn’t look like it was anything to major, though it looks like the system weirdness from both subjects connected weirdly, and we lost a bit of information on their meeting. Some of the eggheads are going to go over the files closer, but I'm sure its fine.

In other news, subject 758 has made their first kill, and against a player no less! Models predicted they’d go for AI targets first before going for actual people, but it means I win five bucks. Not sure what caused that decision but its giving us plenty of data.

Also, if betting on subjects is against company rules, again, I blame Jeff from accounting.

End of report.

The guild building was found almost in the centre of Jarhiem, a massive building that looked to have been converted from an old cathedral. It gave it a certain sense of reverence, that was quickly destroyed once you saw people wandering in and out of it, covered in blood and carrying body parts to provide evidence. As they walked in, Lindel kept asking him the same question.

“Are you sure you don't want to join the Paladins of Dawn? I know you’ve said you don't want to, but consider all the good you could do! Helping the weak, inspiring the hopeless! You could really-“

Dave sighed. “Thanks for the offer, again, but at the moment I'm happy working on my own. If that changes I’ll let you know.”

“But have you considered-”

Podlin came to his aid. “Come on Lindel, let him be. We’re here now, so you ask endless questions at people who are paid to listen to them instead.” The dwarf said, gently pushing the elf over towards the line they needed to join.

Marcus shook his head at them. “Sorry about that, she can get a bit... relentless with recruitment, but it comes from the right place. And in case you couldn’t tell, that offers probably going to be open indefinitely. Anyway, I need to go see if there’s anything special we’d need to sign for chip so we’ll see you later. You’re playing tonight?”

He nodded. “I should be, unless anything changes.”

Looking around for a moment, he found a table with a half asleep looking woman sitting behind it, idly playing with a pencil.

“Excuse me,” he said, greeting them. “Is this where I can register to join the guild.”

They looked at him blearily before replying. “...No, this where you come if you’ve got complaints about someone from the guild. You got any complaints?”

“Not at the moment. Should I?” Dave asked.

“Nah, even if you did I doubt you’d say anything. Who complains about what a bunch of highly trained killers do? At least to their faces anyway. But the guild rules state we need to have a person here at all times anyway...Gods I’m bored.”

“Well, someone has to do it I suppose. So where do I go to sign up then?”

“You need to go to...actually, I'm bored as hell right now so how about we do each other a favour.” She said, becoming more alert.

“A favour?”

“I can knock off early if I take down at least one official complaint, used to be more but literally no one does. You complain, I’ll handle your entry papers, everybody wins.”

“Is that really allowed?”

“It’s all bureaucracy, who’s really check up about the details. Now what’s your complaint about?”

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“Okay then... it’s hard to figure out where to go in here. You should get some signs.”

“That’s really more of a suggestion, but it’ll do! Right then now let’s get your registrations sorted before I hit the bar... got the papers here somewhere...” They said as they rummaged below the desk. “Ah here we go. Now then, can you confirm that you wish to join the guild, that you aren’t a current member, that you haven’t joined before and that you aren’t an evil spy?”

“Er...”

“Good enough for me. Now, name? Doesn’t have to be yours, or real, it’s just for papers, fees and rewards.”

“Dave.”

“Okay, let’s see what else... male, human...you are human aren’t you? Not just a very human looking half elf?”

“I'm definitely not a half elf.”

“Figured. Ok then, now all we need is your fee and an ability test.”

“The gold I've got, but what’s the test?”

“Someone needs to check your skill in a fight, see what sort of jobs you’re allowed to take, so that you don't get yourself killed day one.”

“I'm going to be bottom tier, can’t we just skip it?”

“The rules are there for a good reason,” a voice said from behind him. “And we will obey them.”

Turning, he saw a dark skinned man standing just a foot behind him, making him jump slightly. He hadn’t heard the man approach which surprised him, but more than that, something felt... dangerous about them, which was confirmed by his stomach which decided they looked like a feast. They wore nothing but loose cotton clothing, no armour or weapons, but Dave had no doubt in his mind that this person could kill him with ease.

“Master Green! I didn’t think you’d be back today!” the woman said in surprise.

“I just got in Molly, but I spotted someone actually using the desk so I decided to investigate. Imagine my surprise to hear you’re registering someone instead of taking complaints.”

“R-right, well, they did have a complaint, which I've lodged, and I'm just helping them out now. You know, off the clock, since I'm so dedicated.”

The man stared silently at her before shaking his head. “We all get desk duty sometimes Molly, no one likes it, but its called a duty for a reason. I’ll let it slide this time, since you’re at least helping someone. Next time you’ll be on the desk for a month straight.”

“...Yes sir. Sorry sir.”

Nodding, he turned to Dave. “Now then, you’re in need of a test?”

“Apparently?”

“Well, come on then, one of the fight pits should be free.” They said before walking off.

Looking back to Molly, she frantically motioned for Dave to follow him, which he did with a shrug. What exactly were they supposed to test here? How much he could lift, or how fast he could run? It made sense though he wasn’t sure how useful that information would be to them.

Eventually they came to thick iron door, which the master knocked on and then waited for a moment before pulling it open. It was a circular room, maybe a hundred feet across, with a domed roof lit by a single glowing crystal attached to the centre. The floor was hard packed dirt, covered with an inch of sand to soften it.

“Right then, I’m master Green,” the man said after closing the door behind them. “And I’ll be performing your evaluation test. The test is confidential, so no one else will see it, so if you’ve got any super secret techniques, feel free to show off.”

“Look, I’m a bard. I’m just here as a formality in case I do any...adventuring.” Dave tried to explain.

They nodded. “I figured as much, you’re not the first to make that choice. But like I've told them in the past, that’s irrelevant. This test is to see what you can handle, and to help give you a better idea of your own abilities. Now then, attack me.” He said, holding his arms open wide.

“What you want me to play a song for you? I said I'm a bard.”

“If that’s what you plan to do in a life or death situation, sure. Otherwise...”

Dave sighed. Fine, he’d humour him. Walking up to the man, he swung a punch at the man’s face, only for his arm to be slapped away, an unreadable expression on his face.

“Happy now?” Dave asked. “I’ve attacked you.”

“I haven’t been happy for a long time, and your little bit of flailing there didn’t change that. You’re garbage, as you implied, but the point was to see if you were willing to attack someone, though calling that an attack is a bit much. Let’s see about your defensive instincts then.” He said, dropping his arms and stepping in towards him.

Sometimes you can feel someone behind you, or even just watching you. Sometimes mothers will just get a feeling that something’s wrong with their children. There are plenty of senses and instincts we understand, and plenty more we don't, and every single one of them was screaming at Dave to run, and he listened. He’d managed to take half a step back, before a fist occupied the spot his head had been a moment before.

“Good! You can respond to a threat properly, or at least identify one, and for the record I would have pulled the punch if you hadn’t moved. People and monsters tend to release a bit of energy or bloodlust before attacking, and picking up on that and reacting is a key survival technique. But know this.”

Without another word his arm blurred, the fist outright vanishing as it moved faster than he could see, before he felt a sharp pain at his collarbone.

“No matter if you can feel something coming, unless your good enough to deal with it, avoiding the problem is a better option. Now when you-”

“Sorry to cut you off,” Dave said. “but I don't plan on risking my life much in the first place. Also are we almost done? Because I have a few other things to handle today.”

“...Yes, I think I’ve got enough information. You’ll be a grade F adventurer, the lowest level. Complete enough task s for the guild, and do better in another test and you can improve it. If you have any further questions Molly can help you, otherwise, welcome to the guild.”

“Right then, thanks.” He said before walking out, struggling with the heavy door. “Bet that’s gonna leave a bruise...” he grumbled to himself as he left the building.

Master Green however stayed in the pit for a while considering what had just happened. The strike he’d used should have paralysed him for several minutes, leaving him unable to move or speak, to press the idea that the world was a dangerous place. But they’d just ignored it completely, as if it were nothing but a light jab. He knew they’d registered as human, so the nerve cluster he’d aimed for should have been right where he struck, so what had happened. He also couldn’t tell if that bothered him as much as that mans own strike. Whenever a person attacked they gave off a little energy, even a child playing with a stick gave off some. But when they’d swung a punch at him, while he stared directly at them, he hadn’t felt a thing, a fact that surprised him so much he thought it was just a feint at first. People didn’t hide their energy that well, it was an extremely difficult skill to master and was almost never worth the effort. The only people who trained it to that degree were high level assassins, to surprise people with sudden attacks. A skill they’d learned by studying monsters.